Thomas tansley



(Model) T. TANSLEY, Jr.

Gas Meter.- No. 239,282. A Patented March 22,1881.

N. PETERS, Puormumocmmcn, WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS TANSLEY, JR, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOB TO DIGKEY, TANSLEY & 00., OF SAME PLACE.

GAS-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,282, dated March 22, 1881.

Application filed J annary 24, 1881.

To all whom at may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS TANSLEY, J r., of Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Meters; and I hereby declarethe same to be fully, clearly, and exactly described, as follows: A

My invention has reference to apparatus for determining the quantity of gas delivered to through pipes, and relates, particularly, to means for preventing fraudulent tampering with the meter.

In the so-called dry or diaphragm meters the registering mechanism is operated by a system of cranks, which are moved by the diaphragm, which latter operates the valves thatregulate the delivery of gas to the pipes leading to the burners. It is patent that upon lifting the valves by any means an escape for the gas directly from the inlet to the outlet pipes is afibrded, and the device ceases to register. Parties possessing more ingenuity than conscience, perceiving this fact, have devised means for lifting the valves, which means has 2 5 generally consisted of a piece of wire inserted through the outlet-pipe and channel leading thereto from the valve, and made to raise the latter from its seat. To defeat this I have devised the form of apparatus shown in the aco companying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of the valve-chamber end of an ordinary dry-meter; Fig. 3, a central sectional "iew of the side of the meter and supply-pipe leading to the burners. Fig.

3 is a plan view of the hood or baffle plate; Fig. 4, a sectional view of a tube embodying the same principle, ready for attachment to meters in common use; and Fig. is a similar view of a modified form of device for attaining 0 the same end.

A is the meter, having supply-pipe B, inletpipe 0, and registering mechanism D, operated by rods a a a a", shaft 0, wheel I), and shaft 1).

4 5 F is the valve-chamber, having slide-valves E, operated by a crank on the shaft 0; and e is'the gas-orifice leading from the pipe 0. I shall not describe these parts nor their operation minutely, as they are of the usual construction and form no part of my invention.

(Model) Experience has shown that by introducing a bent wire through the pipe B and ductf the valves E may be lifted, and to prevent this, in the case of new meters, I strike up a hood or baffle-plate, G, (see Fig. 3,) from sheet-metal, leaving flanges i" and wings t', which latter are bent at right angles to the front portion. The hood is soldered to the side of the meter over the orifice 9 leading to the pipe B, and is covered by the latter, as shown in Fig. 2.

In applying the invention to meters in use I provide a tube, B, of a size to fit in the pipe B, and furnished on its interior with zigzag plates G. I apply solder and flux to its exterior and drop it in the pipe B, and then melt the solder by means of a hot iron applied to the surface of the pipe B, securing the tubein place. In lieu of either expedient I solder inside the duct f a wire-gauze partition, H, the

ends of which opposite the parts of the duct V are covered by plates It. The end f is opposite the opening g, and the effect of the gauze and plates his to preventthe passage of a wire into the duct, while allowing of the free passage of gas.

It will be understood that the insertion of wire into the duct to raise the valve is impossible with either form of device described, and the same may be applied to meters, either in the course of manufacture or already in use, at a trifling cost.

What I claim is-'- 1. In combination with the gas-ductofameter,

a baffle-plate secured within the said duct and adapted, as described, to defeat the insertion of a wire or other substance into the same and iucontact with the "alve, while not obstructing the flow of gas, as set forth.

2. In combination with the gasduct of a meter, an inclined plate secured in contact with 0 the walls of the duct at one side, and having its unattached edge projecting partly across the duct, as set forth.

THOS. TANSLEY, JR.

Witnesses R. D. WILLIAMS, J. O. GITTINGER. 

